Ocean flish
The '''ocean flish' is a species of maritime flish living around the coasts of Pangaea II and the Global Ocean in 200 million AD. The ocean flish has a similar lifestyle to modern-day seagulls and other coastal fishing birds. Since the majority of marine fish are extinct in 200 million AD, the flish feeds on silverswimmers. There are a number of subspecies or closely related species of ocean flish, including a grebe-like species, a tern-like species, an albatross-like species, an avocet-like species, a skua-like species, and a cormorant-like species. There are also a number of smaller related species living on the continent, such as the forest flish. Evolution : See also: Flish#Evolution. The ocean flish appears to be the oldest and most basal of the flish species, as it resembles its cod ancestors more closely than any of the other flish species. It evolved to fill the niche left by extinct seabirds like seagulls and petrels. Closely related species soon diverged to fill other niches: the grebe flish evolved as a filter-feeder; the albatross flish evolved as a migratory hunter; and the skua flish evolved as a scavenger.The Future Is Wild: The Global OceanThe Future Is Wild: A Natural History of the Future. Physical appearance and biology Unlike its cousins on dry land, the ocean flish has retained the general physical form of a cod, with large dorsal, anal, and ventral finds, which appear to be useless, simply remnants of the flish's former in the water. The ocean flish's large caudal fin is rotated 90 degrees, resembling a whale's fluke. This makeshift tail is used for takeoff prior to flight.The Future Is Wild: A Natural History of the Future The ocean flish's primary jaw has evolved to resemble the bill of a bird, with blue and red stripes. However, inside the flish's mouth there is a second set of pharyngeal jaws containing teeth. This set of jaws is larger, raw and red.The Future Is Wild: The Global Ocean Behaviour and traits Relationships and ecological role Different subspecies of ocean flish occupied every different ecological niche for a coastal flying animal. The most common species played the role of a basic seabird, such as a seagull, flying around the coast in flocks and occasionally diving down to catch silverswimmers. All species of ocean flish are preyed on by the rainbow squid. However, the ocean flish's most important ecological role is in the rainshadow desert on the other side of the Pangaea II coastal mountain range. Ocean flish, along with other coastal animals, are cast over the mountains during regular hypercanes and tropical storms. This is the only food source for carnivorous animals in the desert, and the bumblebeetle requires a flish carcass for reproduction. Without the ocean flish, the entire ecosystem of this rainshadow desert would collapse. Image gallery Behind the scenes In the documentary The ocean flish appears in "Welcome to the Future", "The Global Ocean", and "Graveyard Desert". This makes it the only organism to appear in more than one episode (not counting "Welcome to the Future"). However, like all the other animals in "The Global Ocean", it does not appear in the cartoon series. The Global Ocean In "The Global Ocean", a flock of flish are first shown attacking a shoal of common silverswimmers. One flish goes down to attack another shoal: however, the "shoal" is revealed to be a camouflaged rainbow squid, and the flish is captured, crushed and eaten. Graveyard Desert In "Graveyard Desert", a powerful tropical storm propels a number of ocean flish over the Pangaea II coastal mountain range, where they die in the heat of the sun. The rest of the episode follows a bumblebeetle as she tries to locate a flish carcass. More ocean flish are cast over the mountains at the end of the episode. In the manga In merchandise and other media Conception Criticism List of appearances Notes and references Category:Animals Category:Fish Category:Flish species Category:Organisms from the Global Ocean Category:Organisms of 200 million AD Category:Organisms in The Future is Wild Category:Organisms in The Global Ocean Category:Organisms in Graveyard Desert